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RARE SPECIES BIOLOGY A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE EPIPHYTE COMMUNITIES FOUND ON GARRY OAK BARK AT THE COWICHAN GARRY OAK PRESERVE AND THE LANSDOWNE CAMPUS OF CAMOSUN COLLEGE Anne Anderson and Angela Lougheed Royal Roads University Very little is known about epiphytic populations on Garry oak. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to broaden the scientific community’s knowledge regarding epiphytic populations found on the trunks of Garry oak trees. The report details the study of epiphyte population distributions on Garry oak trunks at the two sites. The report includes multivariate analysis using PCORD and Minitab statistical software to compare the abundance and diversity of epiphytes on Garry oak bark on three different levels: 1. Between the two sites 2. Between the cardinal directions of the trees 3. Between the tree’s size classes within each site Methodology for the experiment involved a sample design of eight trees with two size classes at each site. The “small” size class included trees with circumferences between 1.0 m and 1.5 m; trees with circumferences greater than 1.5 m were in the “large” size class. Trunks were sampled at a height of 1.3 m using 10 cm x 10 cm square mesh grids; each grid was one cm 2 . Three grids were placed per cardinal direction of the tree (sample unit). A sequential sampling design (i.e., alternating intersections) of 50 intersections per grid was chosen. A sewing needle was inserted at the upper right corner of the marked intersection on the grid, and the epiphyte touched by the pin was recorded. The data collected were analyzed using various statistical tests. Garry Oak Ecosystems Recovery Team – Research Colloquium 2010 Page 6
The data were found to have a right-skewed distribution; therefore, a Kruskal-Wallis test was used to test for significant differences in the mean percent cover of epiphytes between the sites. This analysis showed that there was no significant difference between the sites in regards to mean percent cover. The alpha diversity analysis revealed several patterns in the data. Overall, it was found that the Lansdowne site had greater species richness and evenness than the Cowichan (Maple Bay) site. The comparison between the cardinal directions showed that the west sides of the trees at the Lansdowne site had greater species richness and lower evenness. However, at the Cowichan (Maple Bay) site, north sides of the trees had greater species richness and lower evenness. The size-class comparison revealed that smaller trees at Lansdowne had higher species richness and evenness than trees in the larger size class. Comparison at the Cowichan (Maple Bay) site revealed the opposite; larger trees had slightly higher values for species richness and evenness. A two-wayordered TWINSPAN analysis separated the species into two groups based on their abundance characteristics. This analysis also grouped sample units with other sample units within the site that had similar abundance and diversity characteristics. With the exception of a few anomalous sample units, we found a distinct separation in species abundance and diversity between the sites. A cluster analysis produced a dendrogram that illustrated the two distinct sample unit groups. Reciprocal averaging analysis supported the findings of the TWINSPAN and cluster analyses regarding the separation of the sample units into two distinct groups (Lansdowne and Cowichan site). Garry Oak Ecosystems Recovery Team – Research Colloquium 2010 Page 7
Page 1 and 2: Research Colloquium 2010 Proceeding
Page 3 and 4: SOUTH PUGET SOUND PRAIRIES 2009 CON
Page 5: Terry McIntosh Vancouver, BC ttmcin
Page 9 and 10: RARE BRYOPHYTES OF GARRY OAK ECOSYS
Page 11 and 12: WILL CLIMATE CHANGE DISRUPT BIO-CON
Page 13 and 14: was isolated from dying and dead sa
Page 15 and 16: impact of N. saltatorius on E. prop
Page 17 and 18: trends. Introduced long-dispersers,
Page 19 and 20: DETECTING CHANGES IN GARRY OAK VEGE
Page 21 and 22: to seed “at scale” is a priorit
Page 23 and 24: The method used, once permission wa
Page 25 and 26: EXPERIMENTAL TRANSLOCATION OF GOLDE
Page 27 and 28: In the spring of 2009, I establishe
Page 29 and 30: ADDITIONAL PUBLICATIONS OF INTEREST
Page 31: Garryana. Mycorrhiza 19: 149-158. V

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